National organization works to change same-sex adoption laws

In 2013, the Family Equality Council, a national organization dedicated to LGBT rights, continued a campaign for equal adoption rights for LGBT couples in all states, including southern states such as Georgia. Allies for Adoption advocates for the development of a federal same-sex adoption law. Currently state legislatures have the power to develop their own href= "http://www.robertslawfirmpc.com/CM/PracticeAreaDescriptions/FamilyLaw.asp>adoptionlaws despite the Supreme Court's decision to declare the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional and grant further rights to LGBT individuals.

Currently almost 400,000 children in the foster system are in need of temporary or permanent homes. LGBT couples have been granted joint adoption rights in 19 states and second-parent adoption rights in 13 states. In states such as Georgia, LGBT parents aren't allowed to adopt children jointly. In some jurisdictions, judges allow LGBT parents to adopt individually. Some organizations, including Focus on Family, argue that same-sex adoption shouldn't be legalized because a child deserves to have a mother. Studies on same-sex couples show that children raised by LGBT parents grow up in stable, loving environments.